Gus Schiff has built his own identity in the entertainment industry, separate from his father, Richard Schiff. Professionally, he uses the name Augustus Schiff and works as a screenwriter, producer, and filmmaker. His credits include Netflix’s animated comedy Big Mouth, award-winning scripts, and several independent short films. In 2026, his comedy-horror short Ext. Cabin – Day was shown at the LA Shorts International Film Festival, where he was credited as writer, director, and producer.
Many people search for Gus because of his father, The West Wing actor Richard Schiff, but Gus’s own work is just as interesting. He has built his career mostly behind the scenes, focusing on television writing, original scripts, producing, and directing instead of public appearances.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|
| Professional Name | Augustus Schiff / Gus Schiff |
| Known For | Film and television writing, filmmaking |
| Profession | Screenwriter, director and producer |
| Father | Richard Schiff |
| Mother | Sheila Kelley |
| Sibling | Ruby Kelley |
| Education | University of Chicago; UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television |
| Notable TV Work | Big Mouth |
| Selected Films | Ext. Cabin – Day, Thriving, The Hornbys |
| 2026 Highlight | Ext. Cabin – Day screened at LA Shorts International Film Festival |
Who Is Gus Schiff?
Gus Schiff is an American writer and filmmaker who goes by Augustus Schiff in his professional work. Although many people first hear about him because of his father, Richard Schiff, his growing list of projects shows he is making a name for himself in film and television.
The professional portfolio: He is mainly known as a writer, with credits in animated TV, short films, and original feature and television projects. Instead of following his father’s path as an actor, Schiff has chosen to focus on screenwriting and creating stories behind the camera. When understanding his public identity. Search results can easily frame him simply as the son of a famous actor. Still, his documented writing and production record offers a clearer picture of what he actually does professionally.
Early Life and Educational Background
Gus grew up in a family closely connected with acting and storytelling. His father, Richard Schiff, became internationally recognized through roles including Toby Ziegler in The West Wing and Dr. Aaron Glassman in The Good Doctor. His mother, Sheila Kelley, has also built a substantial acting career in television and film. His sister, Ruby Kelley, has worked as an actress and appeared in projects involving family members.
Rather than guessing what it was like for him to grow up around performers, looking at Schiff’s education gives a clearer idea of how he developed.
His professional résumé lists a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Chicago, where he studied from 2013 to 2017. He later attended the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, completing an MFA program in Film and Television between 2019 and 2021.
His mix of academic study and filmmaking training led to more visible professional writing. While at UCLA, his screenplay Weird won the Feature Comedy award at the 2021 Screenwriters Showcase, marking an early milestone in his screenwriting career.
Building a Career in Television Writing
One of Schiff’s strongest established television credentials comes from Big Mouth, Netflix’s long-running adult animated comedy created by Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett.
His professional portfolio credits him as a writer and consulting producer on seasons seven and eight of the series. IMDb also credits Augustus Schiff as a writer on the season-seven episode “Panic! At the Mall,” alongside writer Joe Wengert.
Being part of an established animated series is a big step, since TV writers work together in a writers’ room instead of writing alone. This experience puts Schiff in a real television production setting, not just among aspiring writers with unproduced scripts.
His portfolio shows he worked on Big Mouth from 2022 to 2025, giving him a well-known TV credit in addition to his independent film projects.
From Screenwriting to Directing His Own Projects
Schiff has also developed original ideas through short films, serving as writer, producer, and director. Cabin – Day is particularly notable. The 15-minute comedy follows the cast and crew of a low-budget horror production who unexpectedly find themselves inside a horror scenario of their own after their director receives one note too many.
The LA Shorts International Film Festival listed Gus Schiff as both director and writer, while production credits included Schiff alongside Sheila Kelley and Richard Schiff. The cast included Liam Aiken, Chloë Lane and Ruby Kelley.
The film was shown in Program 39 on August 6, 2026, at the 30th LA Shorts International Film Festival in North Hollywood. For Schiff, this project shows how he has moved from just writing scripts to also directing and producing completed films.
His portfolio also lists Thriving, a 2025 short that he co-created, wrote, and directed. IMDb records Augustus Schiff among the directors and writers of the comedy short.
These projects show that Schiff’s career spans several areas, not just a single job title. Writing is still his main focus, but producing and directing let him take his ideas from script to finished film.
The Hornbys and Creative Work With His Family
Sometimes, filmmaking has turned into a family project for the Schiffs.
Gus wrote and produced The Hornbys, a comedy short centered on a mother and daughter who attempt family therapy. IMDb credits Augustus Schiff as the writer, with Richard Schiff directing and appearing in the film alongside Sheila Kelley and Ruby Kelley.
This project stands out because each family member took on a real creative role, not just appearing together as a family.
Richard Schiff brought his years of acting and directing experience, while Gus wrote the screenplay. Ruby and Sheila acted in the film. This is a clear example of the family’s different entertainment careers coming together in one project.
The Unexpected God of War Ragnarök Connection
One of the most interesting stories about Gus involves his father’s well-known role as Odin in God of War Ragnarök.
Richard Schiff was not the usual choice to play the Norse god, and director Eric Williams later explained that Richard’s son helped make it happen. When Richard was offered the project, Gus, who was already a fan of the God of War series, encouraged his father to meet with the team.
Reports from Williams’ interview said that Gus even compiled background information on the previous game to help Richard understand the story before discussing the role. He credited Gus when discussing the casting.
This story matters because it links Gus’s interest in storytelling and video games with one of Richard Schiff’s biggest recent roles. Richard ended up doing both the performance capture and voice for Odin in the hit 2022 game.
Screenwriting Projects Beyond Released Credits
Schiff’s portfolio also shows that a lot of his work involves developing scripts that haven’t been released to the public yet.
Among his listed projects is Weird, a coming-of-age dramedy screenplay that earned recognition while he was at UCLA. His portfolio also presents television concepts spanning workplace comedy, historical comedy, animation and absurdist drama.
One project, Zilton, is described as a historical comedy, while The Court centers on young Supreme Court clerks. Another concept, Unmasked, approaches superheroes and villains through animated comedy.
Screenwriting often involves a lot of behind-the-scenes work. Writers can spend a long time creating, pitching, and improving projects before anything is released. For Schiff, these scripts show that he has a broader creative range than his released TV and short-film credits.
Family, Relationships and Public Interest
People are interested in Gus because of Richard Schiff and Sheila Kelley, but his family background shouldn’t overshadow his own career.
Richard Schiff earned an Emmy for his portrayal of Toby Ziegler on NBC’s political drama The West Wing and later reached another large television audience through The Good Doctor. Sheila Kelley has appeared in series including L.A. Law, Sisters, Lost and The Good Doctor.
Gus and his sister Ruby have both worked in creative fields, though in different ways. Their family projects, like The Hornbys and Ext. Cabin – Day, have drawn extra attention in the entertainment world.
There’s no need to make guesses about Gus’s personal life, finances, or daily routine. His public professional work already explains why people search for his name in the entertainment world.
Why People Search for Gus Schiff
The query “Richard Schiff’s son” remains one of the clearest reasons people encounter Gus Schiff online. Viewers familiar with Richard through The West Wing, The Good Doctor or God of War Ragnarök often want to know more about his family.
But now, more people are searching for Gus because he has his own career in entertainment.
His Big Mouth writing credit, UCLA screenwriting background, independent projects, and 2026 LA Shorts appearance make terms such as “Gus Schiff writer,” “Augustus Schiff screenwriter,” and “Gus Schiff director” increasingly relevant.
This sets him apart from people who are only known for having a famous parent. His family may spark curiosity, but his own credits show he deserves a professional biography.
Privacy, Accuracy and Public Information
A good profile of Gus Schiff should separate real, documented facts from unsupported claims found on some biography sites. His education, screenwriting credits, film projects, and family ties in entertainment can all be confirmed through professional portfolios, festival programs, university records, and entertainment databases. Details that aren’t well supported, especially about personal finances, relationships, exact residence, or other private matters, shouldn’t be included just to make a biography seem more complete.
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FAQs
Is Gus Schiff Richard Schiff’s son?
Yes. Gus Schiff is the son of actor Richard Schiff and actress Sheila Kelley. Richard is widely recognized for The West Wing and The Good Doctor.
What does Gus Schiff do for a living?
He works professionally as a screenwriter, filmmaker, and producer. His documented credits include Big Mouth and several independent short films.
Is Gus Schiff also known as Augustus Schiff?
Yes. His professional website and screen credits use Augustus Schiff, while Gus Schiff is also used publicly, including in connection with his family and the 2026 LA Shorts program.
Did Gus Schiff work on Big Mouth?
Yes. His professional portfolio lists him as a writer and consulting producer on seasons seven and eight of Netflix’s Big Mouth. He also has a writing credit on the episode “Panic! At the Mall.”
What is Ext. Cabin – Day?
Ext. Cabin – Day is a comedy-horror short written and directed by Gus Schiff. It screened at the 2026 LA Shorts International Film Festival, where Schiff was also listed as a producer.
Did Gus Schiff influence Richard Schiff joining God of War Ragnarök?
Yes. Game director Eric Williams has discussed how Gus encouraged his father to consider the project and helped him understand the God of War story before Richard took on the role of Odin.
It’s getting easier to see Gus Schiff as more than just a celebrity’s son. With experience in TV writing, filmmaking training, original scripts, and directing, Augustus Schiff is building a career focused on creating stories rather than relying on his family’s fame.
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